Arthritis is Not a Normal Part of Ageing; Healthy Lifestyle Can Prevent it, say Doctors at Paras Global Hospital, Darbhanga

Arthritis is Not a Normal Part of Ageing; Healthy Lifestyle Can Prevent it, say Doctors at Paras Global Hospital, Darbhanga

Darbhanga, 4th November 2016:
One of the most common health disorders affecting the elderly,
arthritis is a debilitating condition that restricts movement and
affects normal life. However, arthritis should not be considered a
normal part of ageing as healthy lifestyle choices can delay or even
prevent its onset.

As we observe World Arthritis Day, doctors at Paras Global Hospital,
Darbhanga say that it is important to raise awareness about prevention
and treatment mechanisms of arthritis to help people restrict its
impact.

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints,
causing pain and stiffness. It affects people of all age groups, most
commonly the elderly. There are over 100 identified (and the number is
growing) types of arthritides. The most common among them are
osteoarthritis i.e. the age-related wear and tear of joints and
rheumatoid arthritis i.e. the immune mediated inflammation.

“Majority
of arthritis conditions are inherited to some extent. However, the
condition can be prevented by lifestyle modification including weight
management, regular physical exercise and preventing injuries. Excessive
body weight is in many cases responsible for early onset of arthritis
as a heavy body puts a lot of pressure on the knee joints causing them
to wear out early. This is why obese people suffer from early knee
arthritis. At the same time, lack of physical activity is another major
driver of arthritis,” says Dr Hasib Iqbal Kamali, Ortho & Joint
Replacement Surgeon, Paras Gobal Hospital, Darbhanga.

Arthritic
patients suffer from two consequences of the condition – pain in the
joints and reduced mobility and restricted movement. This makes it
difficult for them to perform their daily normal tasks including walking
and performing household chores.

While is no cure for arthritis,
a number of medical interventions can be made to reduce its impact. The
main goal of treatment is to reduce pain and prevent additional damage
to the joints. In case of extreme joint damage which is excessively
restricting mobility, joint replacement procedure is recommended.

“While
arthritis is an irreversible condition and you cannot get back your
young knees, an arthritis-friendly lifestyle can help you maximize your
ability and lead a normal life. The focus has to be on the one hand
delaying or preventing the onset of the condition by leading a healthy
lifestyle and on the other hand managing arthritis once you have it. An
arthritis friendly lifestyle includes strict weight control, healthy
diet, daily exercise and interventions to reduce pain such as heat
therapy and knee supports,” says Dr Abhishek Sarraf, Ortho & Spine
Surgeon, Paras Global Hospital, Darbhanga.

Common symptoms of
arthritis include swollen, warm or red joints, limited range of motion,
and grating feeling in the joints. Imaging scans such as X-ray, CT and
MRI scans help in determining the exact cause of arthritis.

Treatment of Arthritis includes:

2. Physical therapy involving exercises and deep heat therapies that help strengthen the muscles around the affected joint.

3.
Medications include analgesics, e.g., hydrocodone or acetaminophen
which are effective for pain management; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs), e.g. ibuprofen which help control pain and inflammation;
menthol or capsaicin creams that block the transmission of pain signals
from your joints in case of RA (rheumatoid arthritis) and
corticosteroids or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

4.
In many cases surgical procedures help patients return to their normal
lives. Surgical procedures may include Osteotomy or realignment of
deformed joints; Join Replacement Surgery or replacement of native
destroyed joint with an artificial one which is most commonly performed
on hips and knees; and Joint Fusion done in case of small joints of
hands and occasionally for large joints.